Historical Views of the Rockaways

A Bungalow Row In Seaside -Almost A Century Ago! From The Rockaway Museum Commentary by Emil Lucev, Curator Dedicated To The Memory Of Leon S. Locke

A Bungalow Row In Seaside -Almost A Century Ago! From The Rockaway Museum Commentary by Emil Lucev, Curator Dedicated To The Memory Of Leon S. Locke

This circa 1919 photograph of an old bungalow in the seaside section of Rockaway Beach had to be taken on the Fourth of July holiday. American flags are mounted everywhere, as was the practice in the early days, a practice that has waned over the years in America, and no one seems to care anymore! My four by five foot flag is up every day. Where is yours?

The architectural style of these particular bungalows can still be seen around Beach 108 Street in Seaside, where many have been converted into yearround dwelling. Many have given way to new construction of homes in the area.

Most one-story wooden bungalows were built on leveled ground, but those on the bay front were built on platforms held up by wooden piling over the bay waters.

The beachfront berm sloped downwards from the upland, and the rows of bungalows built out onto the beach, were built on similar platforms, such as the one seen in today's view! The sign posted on the stairway to the sand of the beach is to remind beach walkers that the way between the buildings is not a public throughway!

Located nearby these bungalows near Beach 108 Street was the O'Reilly Brothers Queens Beach Hotel on the boulevard, as was Stone's Hotel. Near the beach were the Queens beach bathhouses. All this was built on the site of the Chaffee Tent City, which gave way to bungalow building, when the tent city closed for good in 1913. Many thanks to E.S. for today's view of the long gone bungalow era!